NTAC e.News — June 15, 2005

Announcements: Local

NEW! Presentation in the Windy City

Dr. Kim-Rupnow will present about the Hire.us database for Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders with Disabilities to the Illinois Central Support Leadership Team (CSLT) on June 29, 2005 at 8:30 a.m. The meeting will be held in Chicago and broadcast between the Chicago and Springfield offices. Robert F. Kilbury, Rh.D., Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Services in that state arranged and will be in Chicago for the presentation.

Free Online Course on AAPI Culture – Registration is Now Closed! Sign up for future courses NOW!

NTAC-AAPI has created a free online course for VR professionals. The registration period for the first of these courses has now closed, with a starting date of June 15, 2005. It is a web-based, continuing education credit, distance-learning course offered through the Center on Disability Studies at the University of Hawaii, Manoa. Professor, Dr. Paul Leung of the Department of Rehabilitation, Social Work and Addictions, at the University of North Texas and Associate Professor, Dr. Nanzhang Hampton, a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, at the University of Massachusetts-Boston are conducting the course. Approximately 10 hours of Continuing Education can be earned. For more information please contact Amy Nawatani, Training Coordinator at amy.nawatani@cds.hawaii.edu.

For future online courses for VR Professionals, please contact James Brightman, VR Coordinator at james.brightman@cds.hawaii.edu.

Announcements: National and International

NEW! White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders joins the American Medical Association’s Commission to End Health Care Disparities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 13, 2005 - The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders has been incorporated as a member of the American Medical Association’s Commission to End Health Care Disparities. The AMA’s Commission was established in response to the Institute of Medicine’s report, “Unequal Treatment,” which acknowledged health disparities as resulting from multiple factors, including race and ethnicity.

The President’s Advisory Commission on AAPI began addressing the issue of eliminating health disparities within the AAPI community as part of the recommendations made by its report, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Addressing Health Disparities – Opportunities for Building a Healthier America,” presented to President George W. Bush in 2003. The Commission will collaborate proactively to increase awareness among physicians and health professionals; use evidence-based and other strategies to boost understanding of AAPI health disparities; and devise measures to eliminate disparities and strengthen the health care system. The White House Initiative’s participation in the AMA Commission is envisaged to accelerate the process.

NEW! Personal Assistance Services in the Workplace Webcast

June 20, 2005: 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM (EST)
Sponsored by Training and Technical Assistance for Providers (T-TAP), this Webcast features Lou Orslene from the Job Accommodation Network. Orslene will explain the differences between Personal Assistive Services (PAS) at home and in the workplace, summarize the legislative history of PAS, and discuss workplace issues surrounding the use of PAS from the perspective of an employer, an employee with a disability, and a rehabilitation professional. Note that participation in this Webcast costs $50 per individual, $175 per agency. www.t-tap.org/training/livewebcast/lw.html

NEW! Alliance For Full Participation (AFP) Summit

Washington DC: September 22-23
Registration currently stands at about 1,000! And we are still 4 months away. Detailed information on the Summit can be found at: http://www.allianceforfullparticipation.org/main/

NEW! The White House Internship Program

The White House Internship Program offers an excellent opportunity to serve our President and explore public service. We are seeking exceptional candidates to apply for this highly competitive program. In addition to normal office duties, interns attend weekly lectures, tours, and complete an intern service project. Interns may serve a term in the Fall, Spring, or Summer. All candidates must be 18 years of age, hold United States c itizenship, and be enrolled in a college or university. http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/wh-intern.html

Positions Available

Software Systems Engineer

Analog Devices, Inc.: Wilmington, MA, United States
Responsibilities: The candidate will work on software tools for audio DSP’s, AD and DA converters, he or she will be a part of a team in the improvement and enhancement of a graphical development platform. The candidate should have excellent computer science skills, including the knowledge of OOP languages and the .NET framework. Ability to write microcontroller code and DSP knowledge is a plus. The candidates will also code components using C++, C#, Matlab and microcontroller assembly code. A strong mathematical background is required. Markets include: home theatre systems, car audio systems, TV systems, speaker systems, and other professional audio products therefore audio background is a must.

Requirements: BSEE, MSEE, BSCS, MSCS or MS Music Engineering. Audio or music equipment knowledge is required. Compensation: Analog Devices offers a semiannual bonus plan to all employees and a broad-based annual stock grant program.

To apply: Please send resume to Peter Doolittle, Wilmington, 804 Woburn St., Wilmington, MA 01887 or fax (781) 937-1012 or e-mail Peter.Doolittle@analog.com.

Network Engineer

Starz Entertainment Group LLC: Englewood, CO
General Job Description: Perform network administration duties such as WAN/LAN configuration, wiring and installation, network applications, and external communication. Should have experience with Cisco network equipment as well as “capacity planning” and network architecture experience. Develop strong inter-department working relationships. Team oriented and service minded work habits. Create and maintain documentation of network infrastructure and oversee assets. Network and infrastructure security experience. Network management tools experience. Experience in Service Level Management. Ability to research and provide guidance for long-term planning and network improvements. Monitor network resources, utilization, and provide trend analysis. Document the network and develop procedures and policies for operation.

Required Skills: Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field or related work experience is required. Minimum of 5 years’ of network experience. Experience in TCP/IP networks, network security and client/server computing environments. Excellent analytical and strategic thinking skills and a demonstrated collaborative worker are needed. Ability to work in a fast paced environment and handle multiple projects. Strong organizational skills and a proficiency in establishing priorities are a plus.

To apply: Please mail your resume to Starz Entertainment Group LLC, P.O. Box 6542, Englewood, CO 80155 or fax (720) 852-5891 Attn: Recruitment Specialist

Recent Products

http://www.ntac.hawaii.edu/products/products.htm

Resources

National Center for Technology Innovation

A searchable database that presents evidence and products for use of technologies that supports the instruction of reading for students with reading disabilities. http://www.nationaltechcenter.org/resources.asp

Lift, Inc.

A nonprofit corporation that qualifies, trains, hires, and places information technology professionals who have physical disabilities through contracts with major corporations who eventually hire them directly. Lift combines specialized business experience in information technology with expertise at recruitment, assessment, and accommodation to give men and women who have disabilities a vocational lift. http://www.lift-inc.org/about.html

Job Links

U.S. Department of Labor: Office of Disability Employment Policy
Employers listed on Job Links have indicated interest in recruiting and hiring qualified individuals with disabilities for open positions within their company or organization. Most employers are individual companies, but some may be recruiting, staffing or temporary placement firms that serve a number of companies. http://www.dol.gov/odep/joblinks/joblinks.htm

Disability and Employment

Welcome to Diversity World’s new content area on employment issues for people with disabilities. Look for a lot of interesting changes as this site develops!! http://www.diversityworld.com/Disability/index.htm

Institutes / Conferences

For a complete list of conferences, please visit the Conferences section of our Web site.

Workforce Innovations 2005: A Declaration of Innovation

July 11, 2005 - July 13, 2005: Philadelphia, PA
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and co-sponsored by the American Society for Training & Development, the Workforce Innovations 2005 conference will focus on integration, transformation, and innovation. http://www.workforceinnovations.org/

COSD 6th Annual National Conference: “Navigating Transitions to Meaningful Careers”

July 20-21, 2005: Boston, MA
Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) Annual Conference. For more information go to Conference website: http://www.cosdonline.com/conferences/index.shtml

California State University Northridge’s 21st Annual International Conference “Technology and Persons with Disabilities”

March 20-25, 2006: Los Angeles, CA
This is a comprehensive, international conference, where all technologies across all ages; disabilities; levels of education and training; employment; and independent living are addressed. It is the largest conference of its kind! http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/

Research / Publications

Make Networking Easier for Job Seekers: A Guide (April 2005)

Brief
People with disabilities may feel uncomfortable networking for a number of reasons, including fear of the unknown, cultural issues, family concerns about safety, and barriers related to their disability. The Institute for Community Inclusion, University of Massachusetts-Boston produced this brief to address the common reasons why people with disabilities may not be comfortable networking and to provide some possible solutions. http://www.communityinclusion.org/publications/pub.php?page=ib20

Affirmative Action and People with Disabilities

U.S. Department of Labor: Office of Disability Employment Policy
Affirmative action is a set of positive steps that employers use to promote equal employment opportunity and to eliminate discrimination. It includes expanded outreach, recruitment, mentoring, training, management development and other programs designed to help employers hire, retain and advance qualified workers from diverse backgrounds, including persons with disabilities. http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/ek98/affirmat.htm

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